Page 76 - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

than you might prefer. Jamming a bight of the fall
into the upper block of a tackle is an ancient and
effective expedient, as is rotating the load to twist
the parts of the tackle together. Just be sure things
don’t unwind until you’re ready. Even pinching the
parts together with your hands will keep things from
moving if the load isn’t too great, and sometimes
you can belay to the load itself (Figure 3-7).
In an emergency, don’t be shy about how you
gain the friction needed for a belay, just so long as
you don’t slice the rope on a sharp corner. Tension
is what makes rigging work, so do what you must to
maintain it. . . .
Hey, Cookie! Come on over here!

SIX HITCHES

There’s a fine line, so to speak, between a belaying
hitch and an ordinary one: The former, as we have
just seen, is designed to be applied made and released
around an object while the line is under tension; the
latter is most easily applied and released while the
line is slack. Belaying techniques are plenty secure
for all purposes, but they’re more time- and materi-
al-consuming to tie, since they must generate suffi-
cient friction for dynamic control. So it makes sense
also to have a few simpler hitches in one’s repertoire.

A Round Turn and Two Half Hitches
The old salts say that “a round turn and two Half
Hitches never fail,” and it’s pretty nearly true. This
basic hitch is ideal for starting or finishing off lash-
ings, since it can be tied under load. It’s also use-
ful for tying small craft to mooring rings, tethering

Figure 3-8A–D. A Round Turn and Two Half Hitches
make a secure belay (A). The Clove Hitch is handy
but not as secure (B). Reversed Half Hitches just
don’t “look right” (C). The Round Turn and Two Half
Hitches can be tied under load. Here it’s Double-Con-
strictored to the standing part for greater security.
Though shown here in side view for clarity, the over-
hand part of the Constrictor should in practice fall on
one of the two round surfaces (D).

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